Thursday, March 20, 2008

LIVE BLOG: JOOST LIVE TEST OF LIVE MARCH MADNESS BASKETBALL GAMES

Just clicked on March Madness on Joost. Pre-rolls ads have started. I was shown 3.

Resolution is low and pixelated. Volume good. Game is now on. I am watching CBS live through Joost.

I am watching Georgia v Xavier game. Have watched for 2 mins and it dropped out saying “Lost Connection”.

Was shown Joost home screen. I clicked on next game

I am now watching Kansas whip Portland State. I am watching on a 30 inch Apple screen - full screen. Reduced size of window to try and make resolution better. Does get a little better as you reduce it.

Shared it with my friends via email. It sent link directly to what I am watching.

ANNOYING: Just tried to use My Joost tools. And here AGAIN... the most ANNOYING part of Joost - they want you to use full screen all the time. You CANNOT use My Joost tools without going full screen. This is extremely annoying.

Kansas whooping Portland State..

Been going for about 7 mins now and no drop out.

Lost volume when I clicked on another browser.

It has cut to pre roll ads

It has cut out and I cannot get back on.

Re-launched Joost and it took over my screen and blasted my speakers with loud music. So I am turning it off.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

WHY WOULD AOL BUY BEBO ?

Are they saying that with that $850m they could not build a Bebo? Isn’t that kinda their job? If not, what is AOL ?

AOL and AOL Instant Messenger in my mind, are two of the most valuable online assets out there. Mainly because they are the perfect conduit to launch new products and ideas that the network will spread and adopt if worthy.

To buy a company like this when you already have the reach and resources to do it yourselves - and I am sorry to say this - is a monumental failure in strategy and execution from people running AOL.

This is a clear signal to Jeff Bewkes to offload AOL.

From an application point of view, there is not thing that Bebo does that AOL does not do now or could not build in a month. They are simply WAY overpaying for audience. Innovation should be the main reason for AOL's being. With this move, it is clear that AOL is not an innovative company at the moment.

The alternative to forking out $850m for Bebo was that the AOL management came to Jeff Bewkes and said, “Hey, we are smart people and with the money that it would take to buy Bebo, BUT we could do this ourselves - WE are an innovative online company - ESPECIALLY because we have about 200 Billion people to leverage that come to AOL.”

Bebo started and grew right in front of AOL. Another win for the investment banks - Allen and Co. this time - in scaring big media companies with this age old pitch - "Rupert is really keen for this - we have a term sheet with them, but if you move now you could get it for $850m. They like you better."

Watch for the same thing done with Facebook soon. Didnt anyone learn anything from the AOL and Time Warner merger.

The Internet giant's stock plunges 40% since hitting a record $741.79 in November.By Jessica Guynn, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 5, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO -- Remember when Wall Street was gaga over Google?

Despite its quirky approach to business, Google Inc. became a favorite among investors as the company best positioned to cash in on the digital media revolution. The Internet search giant's shares first hit the market at $85 in August 2004 and had risen nearly ninefold by late last year, turning Google into one of America's most valuable companies.

But since reaching a record $741.79 in November, Google's stock price has plunged 40%. The company, which only a few months ago could do no wrong, saw its stock slip $12.42, or nearly 3%, Tuesday to $444.60, its lowest point in nearly a year. The dive, which has wiped out more than $93 billion in shareholder wealth, reflects concerns that a slowdown in consumer spending could temper Google's stunning growth.